Page 24 of The First Taste

Besides, if I hadn’t already ruined things between us, the journalist just put the nail in the coffin of our brief affair.

Spinning on one heel, I march back toward the elevators, ready to tear someone a new orifice.

Eight

HE HAS A WIFE!!!!!

Fresh out of the shower, all my tears cried out, I’m sitting cross legged on my bed and texting Kaia. It’s only seconds before she replies.

Who?she responds.

I fire back.Keir! He has a fucking wife, Kaia! Why the fuck would you set me up with him?

Silence for a moment.

I know nothing about this. I’ve been to his house. Keir introduced himself as a single dad. Like… if he has a wife, she’s not in the picture.

I grit my teeth and text back.THAT DOESN’T MATTER!

Three dots announce that Kaia is writing me back. Then they disappear for almost a full minute before the message finally arrives.

I had no idea. Ella, I’m so sorry. Can I come over?

I think about it for three seconds, then swiftly shake my head.

No. I’d like some space.

I think that our brief conversation is over, but Kaia sends one more message.

I’m going to call you tonight to check in. I love you and I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you.

I’m so furious that I hurl the phone onto the floor and leave the bedroom. Kaia may have been well-intentioned, but I ended up getting royally screwed by her pushing Keir and I together.

Gathering up a pile of laundry, I put it in a hamper and then slam the front door open. My father stands there, his fist raised, about to knock on the door. He takes one look at me and purses his lips.

“Well? What happened between you and Grayrose?”

It takes everything inside me to maintain a blank expression. Stepping aside, I wave him in. “Come inside, Daddy. And nothing really happened.”

It’s a lie, such a big obvious one that my cheeks threaten to give me away just from blushing. But I just set my laundry hamper down and fuss with my clothes, hoping that I look unworried.

The opposite of the turmoil that I feel inside. I pray that I never have to lay eyes on Keiran Grayrose ever again.

My dad starts pacing, his hand on his chin. “Did you close the deal with him?”

I look up, my eyes going wide. “What?”

“To be his au pair! You must have talked about it!” He fidgets, seeming on edge.

“We… talked about it. I really don’t think it’s a good fit, Daddy.”

He stops pacing, his gaze fixing me on the spot. He sneers.

“And why not? What have you got going on that’s better than taking his money?”

I swallow. “Well, nothing. But I’ve seen the way he gets sometimes. He lashes out at people, who almost always happen to be people less powerful than himself. I don’t want to put myself in a situation where I’m his subordinate. Besides, I think he knows that you… umm… used to work for him.”

I conveniently leave out what the journalist said, which was that Keir personally fired my father for embezzlement. If that’s true, it’s the first time I heard about it.